Soft smiles and tender kisses
by itbloomedforyourlittlegirl
Summary: "But just friends don't look at each other like that." Little Judith had a point, didn't she? Not set in any particular time, total Caryl fluff and minor bumps they may come across while their relationship builds.
1. Just friends

_**Hey everyone! I know I'm in the middle of writing So far from home, I simply felt like it is based on a specific story line and it wouldn't make sense to go off it and I wanted to write something that was just filled with a bunch of fluffy cute moments, and the building and progression of Carol and Daryl's relationship, so I hope you enjoy it!**_

**Title: **Soft smiles and tender kisses

**Chapter 1: **Just friends

It was winter and the grass and trees were covered in frost and it glistened in the morning light. Boredom is an understatement for what Daryl felt. There couldn't have been more than a dozen walkers and they were spread around the perimeter of the prison there was no real threat but Rick had insisted he still take watch. He scraped some frost off of the railing of the watch tower and watched it fall to the floor below. He sensed something and looked up, a warm smile spreading on his lips. _Her_. She stepped out the doors of the cell block and walked down the metal steps, careful not to slip. She pulled her over sized, cream coloured, wool cardigan tighter around herself as the cold air hit her warm skin and she shivered.

"Ain't you s'possed to be makin' breakfast?" He called out to her.

She looked up and squinted, her eyes still adjusting to the new light. "Just, getting some fresh air."

"Been doin' tha' for 5 hours already." He leant his arms on the railing, looking down at her.

"Bored? Good. You can help me with breakfast, Judith always likes your pancakes better anyway."

His eyes lit up like a child on Christmas. "Pancakes?"

She giggled, he reacted just like she was sure Judith would. "Yes, now come on before everyone's up and complaining their hungry."

Within seconds he was down the steps of the guard tower and by her side. Daryl walked in front of her, going through the door first he held it open for her. Glancing up at him, she blushed. "Thanks" She murmured sheepishly.

"We have a pancake mix, we just add water, stir and then put it into the pan. Somehow Judith likes it better when you make them, but we make them the same." She frowned and then shrugged, she'd never understand that little girl.

"Why don't you just tell her I made them?" He poured some pancake mix into the bowl, added some water and began to stir it.

She laughed and looked at him. "Don't you think I've tried that? She still swears black and blue she can tell the difference." She got the pan ready over the heat and looked at him as he spoke.

"Maybe it's 'cause mine really are better than yours." He teased, handing her the bowl, the mix was ready to be cooked.

She poured a little of the mixture into the pan and pursed her lips, setting the bowl down. "Yours are not better than mine."

"Are too, yours are, yucky." He chuckled, using the exact words Judith had just a week ago.

She put her hand into the pack of the left over flowery pancake mix and threw some at him. "Are not." She stuck out her tongue.

Narrowing his eyes, he smirked and pounced on her before she could run and pinned her to the wall, tickling her ribs, she squealed. "Okay, Dar, I'm sorry, yours are better than mine." She managed to say through giggles.

He stopped tickling her and caught her eyes with his; they were both smiling. Daryl's palms where pressed softly up against her ribs and neither of them wanted to move away from the other.

"The pancakes are burning." Judith's sleep coated voiced brought them out of their trance and they pulled apart, Daryl flipped the pancake, luckily it wasn't burnt.

Judith sat at the table and Carol got her some crayons and some paper so she could draw. She was four, and had big chocolate eyes and mousey brown hair that went down to the middle of her back. She stroked her hair, "Did you sleep well sweetie?" She just nodded and continued to draw so Carol left her and went to help with making more pancakes.

"She's not really talkative today." He observed, taking the cooked pancakes out and pouring more of the mixture into the pan.

Before Carol could answer him, she spoke. "I drawed you something" She said pushing the drawing toward them before starting to draw something else.

"Drew." Carol corrected before she picked it up and smiled. It was two stick figures, what she could make out to be her and Daryl, holding hands with a heart above their hands.

"Are you in love?" She asked nonchalantly, intrigued in her colouring. "Carol and Daryl." She giggled and looked at them, "It rhymes."

"Spoke too soon 'bout her not being talkative." He muttered under his breath and Carol nudged him with her elbow, both of them ignoring her question, distracting her because the pancakes were now done and they had to wake everyone up.

Everyone ate in peace and no one said much, but Judith watched as they ate, she noticed that no matter what Carol was doing, be it eating, putting her plate in the bowl of soapy water, waiting for everyone else to finish so she could do the dishes. His eyes were glued to her, he'd hardly touched his food because he was just watching her. She giggled at something one of the other children had said and looked at him, her eyes sparkling as she shot him a sweet smile, one reserved for him only.

"Daryl?" Judith climbed on his lap.

"Yeah, lil ass kicker?" Even with her on his lap, he didn't take his eyes off Carol.

"Do you like her? Do you LOVE her?" She looked at him and then looked at Carol who was across the room.

"Who?"

"Duh. Carol, silly." She giggles.

He cleared his throat and averted his eyes from Carol. "er, no, course not, we're just friends."

"But just friends don't look at each other like that, are you BEST friends?" God, this kid asked a lot of questions.

"Yeah, whatever you want." He said, lifting her off his lap and setting her feet on the ground. He ate the last of his pancakes and went over to Carol and placed his plate in the bowl of water. He rested his hand on the small of her back and kissed her temple quickly as he whispered his thanks into her ear, hoping no one would see; but Judith did. Then he walked past her, both of them keeping eye contact and smiling at one another for longer than usual before it was broken when Daryl almost bumped into someone.

The thing is, they weren't together, they hadn't slept in the same bed, they hadn't said anything about loving or even liking each other, they hadn't kissed, not even had a friendly hug. It was the little gestures, the arm strokes as he walked past, the laughing, the smiling, cooking together, wanting to spend time with each other longer than you should want to spend with someone who was just your friend, but neither if then thought any deeper into it.

When Carol was finished doing the dishes she had to teach the younger children reading and writing, they were all getting on with their simple writing tasks, like copying over the word "cat" and "dog" then Judith put her hand up. Carol kneeled beside her and tucked her hair behind her ear so she could see her face. "Yes, sweetie, what are you stuck on?" Carol looked down at her paper but she was doing quite well.

"Do you like Daryl?"

"Of course, he's my friend."

The child frowned. "Do you LOVE Daryl?"

Carol gulped and looked down at her work drawing a smiley face on it she ignored her question and whispered, "good work."

...

It was now time for lunch but it was Carol's break so she was sitting on her bunk lost in thought because of what Judith had asked her just a few hours earlier. Did she love Daryl? She didn't know. She felt a lot for him, strong feelings she couldn't explain. When he was on a run she would worry about him more than anyone else, she would feel sick from the moment she watched him drive out of the gates until the moment she watched him park up. She'd always feel happier when she was around him, when there was a group of them she'd look around to find him, watching every little thing he did, his chest rising and falling, the way he would chew the inside of his lip in the most discreet way when he was worried about something, but she noticed.

"Can almost hear the clogs turnin', you ever stop thinkin'?" She glanced at him, he looked somewhat amused.

"We've traded places since this morning. The break from everything is nice but... I'm bored." Sighing, she stuck out her bottom lip slightly and Daryl chuckled quietly, she looked positively adorable.

"I have watch again, you could come keep m'company? 4 hours of nothin' but starin', could use some." He suggested, wiping his palms on his shirt, his hands were cold but clammy, he was nervous.

"Sure." She shot him a smile and walked with him up to the guard tower, she walked inside and perched on the desk, shivering.

"'S cold up here, shoulda told ya to bring somethin' warmer, go back if you want." He mentally killed himself, of course she would be cold, she was only wearing a thin sweater and it got freezing up there.

"And leave you to bore to death for four hours? No chance, I'll be fine." Chewing the inside of her cheek she hugged her arms around herself.

Taking it off, he placed his poncho on her and pulled it over her shoulders. She smiled and pulled it tighter around her, she could feel his warmth still on it, like she was in his embrace. "Thank you." He nodded and half smiled at her before reaching into his jacket pocket and pulling out the drawing Judith had drawn for them that morning.

"Thought you might want this." He placed it on the desk.

"It's half yours." She laughed, "that child is..."

"Nosey, talkative?"

She shook her head and glanced up at him with a smile. "Don't be mean, she's just... Curiously growing up."

"Asks too many damn questions if ya ask me." He looked back at her before turning around and peering out if the window.

"She asked you too, huh?"

Turning his head to her, he narrowed his eyes in curiosity. "Asked me what?"

Shaking her head she shrugged. "Nothing, it doesn't matter."

"Hmm." He murmured, turning his body back round to pay attention to her, she was wrapped in his poncho and now sitting on the desk, her feet a few inches off the ground so she was swinging them absentmindedly. "You warm now?"

She nodded, giving him that same sweet smile she had that morning when she was doing the dishes. "Hands are cold though."

He looked out the window and then back at her. "C'mere." He mumbled, setting his crossbow down on the floor he moved between her legs to stand in front of her. He took her hands between his and rubbed on them in an attempt to warm them for her.

Her cheeks went pink and she flicked her eyes up from their hands to find him looking right back at her. Giggling, she pulled one of her hands away from his and ruffled the side if his hair. "Some flour, from earlier." Was all she said as she saw the confused look on his face and he smiled, reminiscing the morning. Then he realised, he finally had an answer for Judith's question.

"She asked me if I liked you." He said quietly, he was no longer warming her hand, he was holding it instead. Before she could reply he spoke again. "She asked me if..." He cleared his throat and played with her fingers. "If I loved you."

Her eyes snapped up and she looked at his face. "And?"

"Told 'er we were just friends."

Carol tried to hide the disappointment on her face and returned her gaze to their hands, she muttered. "Oh. Well, we are friends."

She watched as he laces his fingers with hers and felt is forehead rest on hers. "Don't have to be."

"Oh, sorry I bore you with my friendship." She teased.

"Don't mean that." He took a deep breath. "She said friends don't look at each other like that."

She gulped, both of them becoming brave enough to look into each other's eyes. "Like what?"

"She likes to observe." He stated. "She does have a point."

"You don't look at me any different to anyone else." She frowned searching his eyes, having a hard time figuring out what he was thinking.

"I do. I'm always lookin' at ya." He confessed.

"Why?"

This question puzzled him and he pulled his forehead away from hers so he could look at her better. "Why not?"

"Why me?" She took her eyes off his and looked at his chest. "Out of everyone here, so much prettier, so much sexier. With no scars too... So why'd you want to look at me?" She was genuinely confused and almost sounded disgusted as she was talking about herself. She frowned again and with her free hand she toyed with the zipper to his jacket, flipping it up and down.

He cupped her chin in his hand and tilted her head so she was looking him in the eye again. "What are ya talkin' 'bout? You're the prettiest damn thing I ever seen and you better believe it."

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes and she smiled. He moved his hand from her face to her arm and trailed it down until both his hands were just above her hips and he pulled her closer to him, if he moved she would surely not be sitting on the desk anymore. "As for sexy..." He dipped his head and kissed her jaw. "I watch you, with your damn swaying when you walk, those low cut tops when you bend over to help the kids cut their food at dinner."

He sighed moving his face to look at her again. "Ain't the point anyway. You're fuckin' perfect an' you better start believing it, ya hear me?"

Tears fell from her eyes and she looked down shaking her head. "Stop lying." She whispered.

"Ain't lyin'" He placed his hands on her sides of her neck and wiped the tears off her cheeks with his thumbs. "Hell, even Judith noticed it and she's four. I'm always lookin' at ya and if I ain't there to look I'm always thinkin' 'bout ya." He sighed heavily. "You fuckin' make me dizzy, make me feel like I ain't got legs or some crazy shit like that."

She managed a small smile but it soon faded. "I have scars, Daryl."

"So do I, and you've seen 'em, I know you did that time at the farm. You're special, Carol. Nothing can change that."

She only nodded, then she took his poncho off and lifted her sweater over her head so she had on only a pale pink bra. "You sure about that?" She questioned, almost angry at him.

He traced his finger over the scars on her stomach and ribs. "Wish he was a alive, jus' so I could kill 'im, feed 'im to the walkers." Bending down he kissed ever single one of her many scars so tenderly it caused her to gasp. "You." He paused and stood up again, staring straight into her eyes. "Are fuckin' beautiful. Anythin' that bastard said to you ain't true, anything he told you ain't true. Weren't no man, jus' a pussy, jus' like my daddy." He then helped her with her sweater when she shivered, and wrapped his poncho around her again.

She rested her head on his chest wrapping her arms and legs around him, drawing him in closer. He held her then, stroking her back in small rhythmic circles.

"Daryl."

They had just enough time to pull apart before the door swung open and little Judith came toddling in.

"Daddy said lunch ready."

"Ok, lil ass kicker, C'mon." He smiled lifting her up onto his shoulder and she giggled resting her elbows on his head.

Carol smiled at the scene, watching him walk down the stairs with Judith, following them. Once inside Daryl set Judith down and she ran over to Rick, sitting on his lap while eating her lunch. Daryl thanked Maggie and got two plates, one for him and one for Carol. "Thank you." She smiled taking the plate from him beginning to eat. He just nodded in return, eating his own.

...

Everyone else was asleep but Daryl was tossing and turning, sleep clouding his mind but he could never doze off, so he slung his crossbow on his back and decided to walk the cell block. He stopped as he approached Carol's and his eyes softened as he saw her curled up in pyjamas and his poncho. He was observing as her chest rose and fell and her eyes danced beneath her lids as she dreamt. He hadn't realised he'd been watching her for long before he heard a whisper. "Are you going to stand there forever or would you like to join me?"

He froze, shocked by her sudden question but then placed his crossbow on the top bunk and started to climb up. She tugged on his foot and tried to contain a giggle. "I meant with me, now grab a blanket and hurry up, it's cold."

He pulled a blanket off the top bunk but left his crossbow there, he climbed over her so he was laying with his back pressed to the wall and her back was pressed to him. He spread the blanket over them both and wrapped an arm around her waist. She turned to face him and he relaxed, shuffling so his back was now flat on the mattress with only his arm touching the wall. She brought her knee up and nudged his legs apart, hooking her leg over his, intertwining their bodies. She buried her head into his neck sighing sleepily. Holding her hand he kissed it and held it close to his chest. With his other arm he wrapped it around her and held her body tightly to his.

She was back to sleep within minutes and her peaceful breathing against his neck was soothing and therapeutic, sending him into a much needed slumber.

_**I hope you liked it, please review. More will be coming soon!**_


	2. Carol's lullaby

_**Annnd I'm back. I give my deepest apologies to you all! I'm not going to lie, I had massive writers block and I hit a point where I really had no idea what to write. I have loads of ideas but everything I wrote I really didn't like. But here I am and again, I'm really sorry for the long wait! Thank you for all the amazing reviews, they make my day reading them. **_

**Chapter 2: Carol's lullaby **

Daryl woke dazed, his eyes heavy with sleep. He lifted his arms above his head, stretching out his back. He looked down and smiled through a yawn as he saw Carol curled up closely to him. He should wake her up, he knew that; she had breakfast duty again, but he didn't. Instead, he watched attentively as she slept. Returning his arms to their rightful place around her, he pulled her in closer and kissed her forehead. She smelt like white roses and almonds and he figured it was a new shower gel or shampoo she had managed to find on their last run a few weeks back. He smiled at the memory, it was just the two of them and they'd found a little pharmacy that was hidden away in a small town. Due to it's remote location it was just about stacked with painkillers, children's medicine, soaps, a variety of shower gels, some nutritious health bars and condoms. Carol had teased him when she saw him pick them up, she knew he was getting them for Glenn but she always liked to start their flirty banter. He laughed as he reminisced, remembering how she winked and nudged him, asking him if he was "getting lucky", he wanted to tell her he was only if she wanted to, but he resisted that urge.

Carol stirred and it jogged him from his thoughts, he looked down and smiled as her eyes fluttered open and blue locked with blue. He had looked at her, he looked at her all the time, but he was never this close. He could see, was that? Yes, she had light, very light, but noticeable freckles on and around her nose.

"Mornin'" His voice was deeper than usual, still coated with sleep.

"Hi." Then she smiled.

"Didn't wanna wake ya, thought ya could use some extra sleep, always gettin' up early ain't fair." He took her hand in his and played with it almost nervously.

She laughed, "I don't mind, want to know a secret?" He quirked an eyebrow and looked at her again, he was clearly intrigued so she continued. "I volunteered for breakfast duty everyday because you're always up so I always get to talk to you in the mornings." She blushed and broke eye contact, burying her head in his chest. He just chuckled and rested a hand on her head, tightening his arm around her waist.

All of a sudden the familiar sound of a certain little girls voice broke the silence and Carol's head snapped up, her eyes wide. "Quick, hide!" If Judith saw them in bed together, they'd never hear the last of it and not just from the nosey four year old, but from everyone. See, she was precious, adored my everyone but she was one of those children who within her innocence, would tell everyone's secrets.

He looked around her cell, "where?" As much as he agreed with her, there was nowhere to hide in the tiny cell with nothing but a shelf and a bunk.

"Just, get up and pretend you're talking to me." He scrabbled over her and hit his head as he got up out of her bed.

"Ow." He grimaced and turned around to find Carol doubled over laughing uncontrollably. "'S not funny." He huffed, crossing his arms.

Judith came around the corner and into Carol's cell. "Hungey." She sucked on her thumb and looked up at her. Carol managed to contain her laughter and got up. "Just give me a minute honey, go and draw ok, let me get changed."

"Was just wakin' 'er up." He looked at her and smirked. "She's lazy today, slept longer than you." Judith just walked out with Daryl in tow, he laughed as Carol swiped his arm playfully.

...

It was just before sunset and Daryl hadn't seen Carol since breakfast. They'd both been bombarded with extra things to do because of the big build up of walkers around the fences. They needed people inside, making food, teaching the children, keeping them safe and calm. Also, they needed people outside, killing the walkers through the fence or luring them away by driving cars up and around the prison; leading some of them away into the woods. After most of the walkers had been killed everyone came to an agreement that it had been a long, difficult day and that they would burn them tomorrow. Although Daryl had been occupied all day with stressful situations, he missed her. He felt like he hadn't been full, whole, complete, all day and all he wanted to do was see her sweet lips curve into a smile and her eyes gleam as she laughed at one of his corny jokes.

"You haven't had your beloved crossbow all day, haven't people asked questions about that?" Her voice was soft and low and as he glanced up a smile spread on his lips. There she was, the woman he was thinking about just moments ago with his crossbow slung over her back. She took it off and put it on the desk. "Thing's heavy, no wonder your arms are so..." She couldn't find the right words, so she gestured with her hands then dropped them to her side again, shaking her head.

"Used the guns today, wouldn't get the arrows back if I used that." He gestured to it with his head, searching her face. "Thought if I left that in your cell I'd have a reason to come see ya tonight."

She pushed his crossbow to the side and perched next to him on the desk. "I'm disappointed, Dixon." She paused, not once looking at him and keeping her eyes glued to the orange and pink sky. "I thought without that crossbow you'd still have a reason to come and see me."

If Carol was looking at him she would've seen relief fill his eyes and the muscles in his face relax. "Yeah?"

"Yes." She smiled and reached for his hand, causing him to blush and duck his head.

He watched her then, her eyes were shimmering as she watched day slowly turn to night, the orange glow bouncing on her face causing her to look radiant. "Beautiful." He whispered.

"It is."

"You." She just laughed at him, so he pulled on her hand so she was standing opposite him, her back now to the sunset she was once watching. "I mean it."

Her cheeks flushed a similar color to that of the pink in the sky and she climbed onto the desk facing him, crossing her legs. He turned his body round to face her more and became nervous, she was staring at him. "What?"

Her head fell into her hand and she laughed before biting her lip and looking at him again. Brushing two fingers over his forehead she murmured, "You have a bruise."

"Damn bunk's too small." He complained.

"Oh, so you won't want to sleep with me again tonight then?" She pursed her lips and winked at him. He choked and looked at her wide eyed but before he could say anything she giggled and shook her head, worried that she would scare him off. "That came out, SO wrong."

A flash of disappointment in Daryl's eyes didn't go unnoticed by Carol. Therefore she continued to tease him. "The offers always there." She said in a sultry tone that sent his pulse racing.

Gulping, he was brave and looked straight into her eyes, seeing how serious she was, he gave her a small nod and that was all. A simple nod sealed what this was between them. It wasn't exactly how it sounds, they both knew that they weren't going to do anything right then, not that night, not even that week; they didn't know when. What they knew, what that nod confirmed, was that they weren't just friends anymore, boyfriend and girlfriend seemed too stereotyped and dull. They didn't have a label they were simply together, more one instead of two and both of them knew that now; that small nod was all the confirmation they needed.

...

Darkness; the air so cool it stung. She swam in a cold sweat under the blanket, her legs were high, locked to her chest as tears claimed their place on her slightly rosy cheeks. Her actions mimicked, somewhat, a baby suffering serve colic. Her fists clenched and her body thrashed, after that. She was still asleep, deep in a trance, a lucid dream causing her to hyperventilate. To feel, to be, to live the moment over and over, in reality she knows he's dead but he lives in her nightmares. Her mouth is open as silent screams escape from her very soul. The eyes beneath her lids searching. Searching for anything; light. An escape route; anything that wasn't torture. Ragged breaths began to flow, if he listened closely he could hear her heart hammering at her ribs, frustrated. Images flashed beneath her closed lids, scrolling past; the movements are always quick but never fail to be detailed.

Daryl didn't want to wake her, in fear he would embarrass her though he noticed her nails digging into her arm deeply. "Carol." He whispered. He received nothing but a a small whimper in return.

"Don't hurt me." She managed to choke out through her sobs. He saw terror and confusion in her eyes as she slowly woke.

"Won't never." He mumbled, resting his lips against the top of her head, he pursed his lips and left the softest kiss. Carol burrowed into his chest, she was safe in his arms, that she knew for sure.

Daryl had held her for a few hours, neither of them saying a word. He predicted it was around 5am and neither of them had slept for long before Carol's nightmare woke them both.

Carol was the first to break the comfortable silence with only a whisper. "Thank you." Daryl only squeezed her tighter in response and tenderly kissed the top of her ear. "Who's on watch now?" She looked up at him and brushed some of his hair back from his face.

He cleared his throat. "Rick. But I'ma have to go soon."

"Breakfast isn't for another couple hours, mind if I join? I could use some fresh air." He gave her a sharp nod and half smiled.

Reluctantly, he moved away from her and sat up on the edge of the bed to stretch out his back. He turned his head and looked over his shoulder at her. "C'mon we'll go now." Standing, he picked up his crossbow from the top bunk and tossed her a sweater she had found him on one of their runs - it was dark grey and plain but Daryl insisted he was happy with his leather jacket and poncho but Carol picked it up anyway. She would always say "just incase." And pack it into her bag. He'd never tell her but she was always right; the things she picked up against everyone's will always would come to be needed in one way or another.

He lent against the wall of the dimly lit cell and watched as she pulled it over her head and the baggy material hung loose around her small frame. She looked positively adorable and although he never wore it - she got it for him - and she looked good in his clothes. She looked up as she pulled the sleeves down to the middle of her palms and gripped them. "What?" She smiled, it was an early, but good start to the day considering they both hadn't had much sleep and they had another long day ahead. They'd most probably not see much of each other today from after breakfast, so they cherished moments like these.

Laughing lightly, he shook his head and looked down. "You are..." He paused, tilting his head upward, their eyes locked for a few seconds before he cleared his throat to speak again "'dorable." Then he sheepishly left her to finished getting dressed, going to wait for her up in the guard tower.

He heard the door open and shut - he didn't bother to look up, he knew it was her - the atmosphere somehow warmer with her presence. "Sorry I took so long, Rick was filling me in on the plan for today and what I have to do." She approached him and stood close by him, their arms pressed against one anothers. "Were you humming? I heard you before I came in." Her eyes glistened like they always did when she teased him. "Don't let me get in the way of that, it was nice." He awkwardly begun humming again, quieter this time. Both of them looking out of the window at the horizon. Daryl saw her at the corner of his eye, swaying slightly. He reached out his hand and hooked his index finger around hers and tugged on it causing her to turn toward him.

"Ya like to dance?" His eyes nervously darted but never left her face and he licked his lips .

"Ed never danced with me, so I never did." Was all she said, averting her eyes, anywhere but his.

"I-" He hesitated and bit on his lower lip with a frown. "We could dance, I mean... If ya wanted to, maybe not."

Carol laughed, "There's no music."

Their index fingers were locked together still, sparks shooting through them as he pulled her close and placed his hands on her waist. She blushed and shot him a smile as she hooked an arm around him loosely. Daryl begun to sway her lightly from side to side, their feet barely moving. Carol rested her head in the crook of his neck, savoring the feeling of comfort and protection that he gave her. He tilted his head so his lips grazed her ear, humming a soft, sweet tune into it as they swayed together in perfect synchronization.

They gently pulled apart after only minutes of dancing. Carol giggled which caused Daryl to chuckle nervously. "That was... nice. What tune is it?"

Daryl simply smiled sheepishly and ducked his head. "Carol's lullaby." He said quietly. After a few minutes of no response he looked up and saw confusion in her eyes, so he continued, "Never told you but, you had nightmares before. I passed your cell on the way back from watch every night. You were still asleep but having a nightmare, sat with you and hummed that until you calmed down."

Once again, she was laughing not so much at him but not with him either. "'dorable." She said in a failed attempt to mimic his gruff pronunciation of the word. He chortled, his once icy blue eyes, warm.

_**I had no idea how to end this chapter but I thought that'd do it. Don't worry, It's not going to be another months wait for the next chapter. I have the next two chapters planned out in detail, so it might be a couple of days up to a week for the next update. Also, feel free to give me prompts for future chapters, obviously keeping with the story line. (You will be credited, of course.) I just think it'd be quite cool to have your ideas and what you guys want to see too. (All mistakes and typos are my own, though I do proof read I somehow always manage to make some errors.) I really hope you enjoyed it, please let me know what you think. Your reviews really are the thing that keeps me writing, they mean so much! **_


	3. Trust & vulnerability

_**Thank you guys so much for all the amazing reviews, they make my day. Enjoy!**_

**Chapter 3: Trust & vulnerability **

The previous day was tiring and today certainly wasn't going to be a picnic for the group. They had moved, stacked and piled the decaying walkers away from the prison before burning them; with great difficulty since part of the herd they had led off into the woods had managed to wander back around to the prison again. Daryl huffed and crossed his arms tightly across his chest, much like a sulking child. It hadn't helped that both he and Carol and gotten next to no sleep the previous night and there was a scarce amount of food left so most of the adults gave theirs to the children; precisely the reason that Daryl was gradually becoming more and more exasperated by the second. There was no food left, thus the reasoning for Rick bringing the run that wasn't meant to go ahead for a few more weeks forward to tomorrow. They were not only drained but also unprepared and this was a dangerous enough run without those weak points.

"I appreciate everyone persevering with me while I wrote this plan. Glenn drew out a few maps." Rick spoke as he handed them out to various people. "We'll scope the place thoroughly as a whole group and then we'll split, I'm not taking any chances." Many heads bobbed in agreement and they all turned as the hinges on the gate squeaked as it opened.

"Rick, Judith's crying and I've tried everything, she just keeps saying that she wants you." Beth softly interrupted, giving everyone a small, apologetic smile.

Rick sighed, Judith did this every time he was leaving. That's why he never allowed Carl to go anywhere with him, she needed her big brother if anything happened to him on a run. "I'll be right there." He turned his attention back to the group who were waiting to hear the rules and the plan on how they're going to carry out this run. "Daryl, would you?" He handed the crumpled A4 piece of paper to him.

Daryl took it from him and glanced at it wearily. He squinted, his eyes searching over it nervously before looking back at Rick. "Why me?"

"I thought-" before he could finish Daryl cut him off.

"I don't wanna, what don't you understand?" He tossed the battered paper angrily at Rick and charged passed him. Rick, confused by his actions, simply shrugged and assigned Glenn to the task before going to handle the situation with Judith.

After Carol had listened to the strategy she knew that there were two places Daryl could be, either up in the guard tower or in her cell. Poking her head round the corner of her cell she frowned as she watched him sitting on the floor with his back pressed to the wall. He had a book open, and he was looking at it as if it had painfully angered him. Careful not to startle him, she kept her voice low and delicate. "What was all that about, back there?"

"Don't matter." He muttered bluntly, tossing the book to one side.

She doesn't know how, but she knew then. She knew what the anger toward Rick was and she mentally kicked herself for not realizing sooner because things that had happened months ago she now finally understood. "Why didn't you tell me you couldn't read?" Hurt coated her voice but she tried desperately not to let her voice crack.

His voice was low and he scraped one of his arrows across the floor. "Didn't want you of all people knowin' I'm stupid."

"Oh Daryl, you're not stupid..." Carol soothed. Why don't you come to the classes I do?" She offered.

"I know how to read simple words." Daryl snapped angrily.

She knows she shouldn't get irritated but something inside of her ticked and she couldn't help but raise her voice. "I don't mean Judith's class I mean the ones I give to the kids Carl's age." Taking a deep breath she reminded herself that he was vulnerable and didn't need another person beating down his confidence. "I'll tell Rick I need help with the class and you'll help me." She searched him, he was hard to read, unpredictable but not in the way where she ever felt threatened. "When we're on watch in the morning, I could always teach you."

Finally, he looked up at her with hope filled eyes, "you'd to tha' for me?"

She shot him a soft smile and nodded. "I'd do anything for you."

...

Daryl's arms snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her to him so she was sat between his legs with her back pressed against his strong, broad chest. Placing a tender kiss on her shoulder he smiled, squeezing her a little. He was happy she hadn't run a mile now that she knew he couldn't read. He told her, when they finally both found the time, that as a child he went to school for only 4 years and that he loved to read but he had always found it difficult. One night, he was caught reading one of his mommas books and his father gave him a beating and called him all sorts of names, telling him that real men don't read. He could read things such as maps and signs that inform people, like street directions. Though his vocabulary was limited he knew how to pronounce and say most words right, the problem was that he couldn't read them all at once in a sentence. So it wasn't so much that he couldn't read at all, it was more the skill of coordination and fluency.

Carol turned her head and glanced at him with a smile, turning her attention back to the frail book she held in her hands and she opened it carefully. "What's it about?" He asked lazily. His chin rested on her shoulder now and he was more intrigued in how she always managed to smell so divine than he was in any reading.

"It's about this girl who grows up in France, she has everything she wants: love, security and freedom. But, things start to go down hill from there. She thinks she meets the guy of her dreams but he turns out to be not so nice after all." She pondered for a moment, a frown etched on her face.

He ran his fingers up her wrist and held her hand as much as he could, considering that she was holding the book. "Sounds like you."

Carol gave him a smile to let him know she was okay and moved to hold the book with her left hand, so she could hold his with her right hand. "Hmm, but I didn't grow up in France." She thought for a moment, "read this and then we'll go from there." She pointed at a couple of sentences; the last thing she wanted to do was make him feel small or to patronize him.

He read each word slowly, he knew how to say all of them he simply couldn't say them together fluently; it was similar to learning a knew language, he knew what the majority of them meant, he just couldn't put them together. He huffed, irritated with himself.

"It was better than you think." Carol gave his hand a small, reassuring squeeze. "I'll read it to you, so you can see how to make it flow, then you can try again."

"Don't see the point." he muttered grumpily.

She tutted at him, "You've only tried once, Dar." When she got no reply she assumed she had won what she was sure would be one of many arguments about him wanting to give up. So she began to read, _"The air was cool, and the place, even in it's disrepair, was more beautiful than ever. For a moment, she wished that Billy could see it." _

He was captivated by her soothing voice and the way she read so smoothly. He wrote a mental note to remind himself to find a way to ask her - without actually asking her - to read to him more. He read again, this time he only paused and hesitated after every four words. Sure, he ignored what the commas are used for but Carol was proud of him. Not only for trusting her enough to help him and for him opening up completely but also putting himself in that vulnerable position.

Carol dropped her head back against his chest as her eyes became heavy. She closed the book and dropped it to the floor, inwardly cringing as it slapped the concrete ground and the sound bounced off the walls of the dimly lit cell. "Big run tomorrow." She kept her voice low, aware that many people were now asleep in their cells.

"Best get some sleep." He propped a pillow behind his head, his arm still wrapped firmly around her. She flopped against him, using his chest to cushion her head as hunger and exhaustion finally took it's toll. Chuckling lightly, he dropped the softest kiss on the top of her head.

"Night, Darlin'"

_**Okay, It's extremely short, please don't kill me. To be honest, this was mostly just a filler chapter anyway. But I promise you I have the next two chapters already half written and the ideas all there so I'll make quick work in posting the next chapter. I really hope I made the whole not being able to read thing as believable as I could without making him sound like a child. I hope you guys liked it anyway! **_


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